Lebensbornheim Sonnenwiese

The history of the building in Kohren-Sahlis is very changeable. In the nearby district town of Borna existed a district retirement home until 1934, which should give way to coal mining. For 180,000 RM therefore the old building was sold 1938 to the brown coal plants Borna. This amount formed the basis for the construction of a new home in Kohren-Sahlis. On May 20th 1939, the district administrator of Borna finally acquired the property for RM 27,599. After construction began in July 1939, the first inmates moved into the new retirement home on 08 July 1941. The building cost 1,036,162 RM and offered place to 180 old persons. Already before the move, a part of the residents of the old people's home Borna became victim of the cruel "Aktion - T4". The survivors later had to give way from the new house in Kohren-Sahlis under pressure from the SS, after the village was chosen as the location for a new Lebensborn home. The Bornaer district council offered the building for sale to Lebensborn e.V., which was recorded on 24. October 1941. The district of Borna sold the property with all furnishings for 1 million Reichsmarks.

The Lebensborn home was named "Sonnenwiese" (engl. "Sun Meadow") and was occupied four weeks after purchase with first children. However, the official opening took place after reconstruction in November 1942. The Lebensborn home had a maximum capacity of 170 seats. On average, there were 130 children housed. Most children were under three years old, some were up to six years, very few children were older.

The care of the children was taken over by up to 20 sisters, three learning sisters, ten nursing students and three educators. The home "Sonnenwiese" also played a role in the "Germanization" of foreign children from Poland, Yugoslavia and Norway - reliable figures are not available here. Most foreign children came from Norway, mostly by air. In 1943/44 200 children were brought from Oslo to Germany, of which 150 were recorded in Kohren-Sahlis. But not only abducted children but also anonymously released (illegitimate) children were housed in the home. Also some children from Norway were children of Wehrmacht soldiers that were sent to Germany with the consent of the Norwegian mothers and at the pressure of their families.

When the war ended and the American troops arrived, the children's home "sun meadow" was dissolved. Most of the children were taken to foster homes in the vicinity or housed in other children's homes.